


The Nights

by budgewrites



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-08 10:56:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3206633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/budgewrites/pseuds/budgewrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something about nighttime brings out an honesty in people. It loosens the tongue, we think a little less before we act, if we're even thinking at all. This is no different for Avatar Korra and Asami Sato, who always have a way of finding each other, after everyone else is asleep.</p><p>A collection of moments between Korra and Asami throughout their first four years of knowing each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Air Temple Island

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a canon-compliant series of moments that explores Korra and Asami's interaction throughout the four books and slightly beyond. Most of the scenes will "fill in the blanks," so to speak, with off screen moments I could see happening as they grow closer to each other.
> 
> Since each chapter is in chronological order with the events of the series, it won't "live up to" its rating for a little while. Just... in case you wanted to know.

Wrapped in a robe and blanket against the evening chill, Asami shuffled out onto the walkway that connected the ladies' dormitory with the rest of Air Temple Island. Her slippers were silent on the boards as she made her way toward the meditation pavilion looking over the bay. She regretted not fixing herself a cup of tea before coming out here. Winter was well on its way, and she was chilly in spite of the layers. Was it just her, or was it getting colder earlier this year?

While Team Avatar's ventures into the city to fight Amon's forces had taken Asami's mind off the tumult of the past several days, the silence of quiet evenings proved to be a two-edged sword. She liked to take some time for herself, to rest and recharge, but lately her thoughts had a miserable habit of revisiting the events that had led to her staying here in the first place. The disbelief, then shock, then the crushing sting of _betrayal_ when her father had asked her to turn on her friends.

Her _only friends._

And what if they hadn't been there? She still couldn't have done it. Still couldn't have condoned his violence against an entire group of people based on such a twisted sense of morality. Where was he now? Was he okay? The electric glove still sitting in her room didn't seem powerful enough to cause permanent damage, but how could she know? What was he doing now? Why did she even _care?_

_Because he was still her father._

Maybe it hadn't fully sunk in, that he really was so far gone. That he was building weapons for criminals, aiding in their effort all in the name of some false sense of justice. He was destroying their family name, tarnishing what scattered memories Asami had left of her mother with his senseless violence. How could he not _see_ that?

Asami curled the blanket more tightly around her shoulders when she heard the dormitory door slide open. A touch jumpy, she turned to see Korra, still fully dressed from the day, her expression making it obvious that she had hoped not to be caught.

"Don't worry, I won't tell." Asami's tone was amicable, and she offered Korra a small, tired smile.

"Oh, I... wasn't going anywhere, anyway," Korra admitted as she approached Asami under the pavilion. "Can't sleep either?"

Asami nodded, and Korra rested her elbows on the structure's railing.

"You'd think it'd be easy to tire myself out. I've never seen this much action in my life."

"Same, honestly. From the time I was four, the White Lotus kept me in this... giant, frozen _compound_ separated from the rest of the Tribe. I never would have expected the real world to be so... complicated." There was a note of bitterness and frustration in Korra's voice, and Asami watched her quietly. It had always been plain as day that Korra had never been to the city before, but it had never been Asami's place to ask her about it. She knew that the Avatar struggled with airbending, that she felt isolated in this whole new world, but all she could do was offer support. She moved to stand closer, also leaning lightly against the railing as she spoke.

"The past few weeks have had plenty of rude wakeup calls for a lot of us." Because Asami couldn't say that she understood what Korra was dealing with, what kind of pressures lay on her shoulders. Korra snorted.

"You can say _that_ again."

Asami's face softened sympathetically. Always a pinnacle of tact, Korra was.

"First, it was the White Lotus breathing down my neck about _not trying hard enough_ to connect with my spiritual self, now it's Tenzin always trying to tell me what to do, _and_ I get to deal with Tarrlok's smug comments about how he _clearly_ doesn't think I'm a _real_ Avatar. And that's on top of trying to stop some masked _freak_ from destroying bending!" Korra's voice only grew louder and louder as she vented. Asami pursed her lips and tentatively reached from under her blanket to rest a hand lightly on the Avatar's shoulder. It was surprisingly warm, and she felt some of the pent up tension ease. These were things that ate at Korra constantly. She knew that, had been at least partially aware even before she and the brothers had found her crying alone outside the temple the other night.

"I never thought I would be so _helpless,_ " Korra finally admitted, her voice dropping to a near whisper.

"You're not helpless. You're just... stretched too thin," Asami's tone was just as quiet. "Anyone who expects you to just show up and deal with all of this on your own is delusional." Which Asami didn't think was the case with most of the people in Korra's life, but she could understand why Korra would feel that way. Through no fault of her own, she'd grown to expect too much of herself.

"But... even though it feels like it, you're not alone. And you don't have to be, either. That's not how anyone succeeds, Avatar or not." Asami finally dropped her hand, and it looked for a moment like Korra would say something, but she remained quiet.

"You want me to go make some tea? I know that always helps me sleep." A note of levity returned to Asami's voice, and she offered a small smile. Korra finally turned to face her and nodded.

"Thanks."

For what, exactly, Asami didn't ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter was really interesting to write, especially after growing so used to the older, more grown up Korra we see in the latter books. I started writing with the intention of writing both girls comforting each other, but it eventually became a very one-way exchange. I like being able to delve into how these two interact in their earlier days, with Asami being a sympathetic but not coddling soundboard for Korra in spite of her own problems. Korra, meanwhile, hasn't reached a point of emotional maturity where she's able to do that for others on top of her own plethora of stresses. Don't worry, though, we all know she gets there ;)


	2. Tact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their way to the South Pole for the Winter Solstice, Korra finds herself thinking just a little bit more empathetically about Asami Sato.

Korra hadn't expected to find anyone awake. Even Naga was fast asleep while the ship carried them to the Southern Water Tribe for the Winter Solstice. But when she shuffled past Asami's cabin on her way for a midnight snack and saw the light still on, her nosiness got the best of her. Tapping on the steel door and sliding it open, Korra poked her head inside with a curious expression. Asami was sitting at a small desk, scattered papers completely hiding the wooden surface.

"Hey! What are you still doing- up?" Korra hesitated the moment Asami turned to face her. There were dark circles under her reddened eyes, and she looked startled by Korra's sudden appearance. Her makeup was faded, like it hadn't been touched up recently. If it were anyone else, her appearance wouldn't have caught Korra off guard, but she couldn't think of a _single_ instance where Miss Asami Sato hadn't looked completely put together.

"Wow, you look-" _awful._ Korra cut herself off, but not before Asami could raise a skeptical eyebrow, almost daring her to finish that thought. "Sorry- I mean..." Korra made a face and raised her hands as she tried to back pedal. "I've never seen you..."

"I get it, Korra." She turned back to her desk. If Asami was irritated, she didn't really let it on. Exhausted, maybe, and not exactly in the mood for company, but not annoyed.

"What's up?" Korra asked tentatively as she shut the door behind her. Asami's shoulders rose and fell as she sighed.

"I'm just... running some numbers."

"In the middle of the night?"

Silence. Korra stepped close enough to peer over Asami's shoulder at the papers cluttering the desk. Contracts, inventory reports, stock records, a legal pad she had clearly been scribbling on a moment ago... None of it meant anything significant to Korra, but she got the gist of it. Business stuff. 

"I can't make it work," Asami finally admitted, her voice lowered. She dropped her pen on the desk and pinched the bridge of her nose, rubbing at her exhausted eyes and only further smudging her makeup.

"Can't make what work?" Korra's voice dropped with Asami's. She knew Future Industries was having trouble. It was all over the papers. People didn't even want to invest in the company, after Hiroshi had been outed as an Equalist. 

"Honestly? Any of it." An uneven edge had crept into Asami's words as she stared down at the mess of papers. "If I don't get this shipping deal with Varrick, Future Industries is sunk. For good." That made Korra's brow crease with worry. She'd known it was bad, but she'd never known just _how_ bad. Asami was good at keeping it quiet, and Korra didn't want to admit it to herself, but she hadn't been keeping in touch with Asami as much as she would have liked, as much as she likely _should_ have, after everything that had happened throughout the Equalist Revolution. What had Asami been up to, these past six months? What did she do when she wasn't in the office, in the workshop?

How much time off did she even _have?_

"Sorry, I'm... not much help with business stuff," Korra offered awkwardly with a crooked, sympathetic smile. Asami glanced up just in time to see it, and her eyes softened.

"Well, I don't make much of a spirit bridge, so I guess we can call it even." Relief uncurled in Korra's chest. Asami could stand to lighten up some, once in a while. Korra had never seen her as particularly uptight, but if she didn't know better, she would never have guessed that Asami was only just approaching nineteen. She was always so put together, even stoic at times. It hit Korra, then, that Asami must have grown up young. Daughter of a business tycoon, constantly living in the public eye, losing her mother when she was only six. This whole CEO gig, untimely as it was, wasn't out of the blue. She must have been training her whole life for this. Did they have special schools for heirs to multimillion yuan companies? How many friends did she have, with her protective father and the time she must have poured into her studies? She never spoke of any other family. With each new thought, a pang of guilt hit Korra's chest.

Was Asami Sato really that alone?

"Korra?"

The Avatar jumped when she realized she'd been staring, but Asami didn't seem to mind, her tired gaze still locked with Korra's. Even now, there was something composed and poised about her. 

"Sorry, I was just... thinking." Asami didn't ask what about. Korra cleared her throat and scratched at the back of her head, suddenly looking anywhere in the room _but_ at the other girl.

"You wanna head up to the kitchen?"

"Hm?" Asami tilted her head questioningly.

"I'm pretty sure I owe you a cup of tea."

She seemed surprised at the offer, but pleasantly so. Asami glanced back to her papers with an uncertain purse of her lips.

"I'm sure they'll still be there in the morning," Korra coaxed, her expression open. "Besides, something tells me there's not a whole lot to be done before we reach the South Pole, anyway. You're always on top of this stuff, no matter how tough it is." Korra felt a swell of pride when the worry in Asami's eyes and shoulders eased. A little reassurance went a long way, and Korra wondered silently when the last time was that Asami had actually been told that it would be okay. That she was doing a good job. That someone was proud of her.

And if she really _didn't_ have anyone to tell her those things, to just be there when it felt like everything was coming apart, then Korra would gladly fill that gap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the direction the first chapter took, I'm really glad I was able to reverse their roles a little bit! Now that Korra is past her initial blocks during the Equalist arc, she can start to reach out to others on a slightly more personal level, and the base compatibility between her and Asami starts to shine through.


	3. Driving lessons, again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something about Korra made Asami younger. Made her take more risks, make ill-planned choices like letting the Avatar pilot an airship.
> 
> But just because it was stupid didn't mean she regretted the time spent with the woman who had so quickly become her best friend.

Asami was regretting agreeing to take the night shift.

She sat at the controls of the Future Industries airship as it crossed over a mountain range in the Earth Kingdom, occasionally checking the compass and map. There wasn't any thrill in piloting an airship. It was tedious, boring work that was four parts sitting still and one part gently correcting their course. It was a wonder of technology, that they could travel like this, but Asami was struggling to see it that way, right now.

2:30.

Asami cast her watch aside and slumped back in her chair with a sigh. In spite of the troublesome schedule, she didn't regret coming on this trip. She was helping with an important cause, and it was good to get out of the city, especially to spend time with her friends. She and Korra had finally been able to forge some kind of real friendship outside of Team Avatar, something Asami had hoped for for a long time. They had always clicked, ever since the first day Korra had come to visit the estate. But life always managed to get in the way. Now, Korra had come into her own both as a young woman and as the Avatar, and Asami had finally managed to stabilize Future Industries. Things had finally been approaching some level of calm for both of them when the airbenders started appearing and there was suddenly an exciting new adventure to be had. 

Asami had to jump at the chance. She wouldn't lie to herself and say that Korra hadn't been the biggest factor in her decision to tag along. Asami liked being where Korra was. Liked talking to her, liked being noticed by her. She didn't think anything of it. In a life that was a constant stream of meetings and stuffy business conversations, Korra made Asami feel younger. Probably _act_ a little younger, too, now that she was sitting in the pilot's chair reflecting. Even when she was stressed and struggling with her own obligations, Korra understood the simple joy of having fun. Being silly. Living _life._ It was something Asami often struggled with, when she was alone. She filled her free time with more work.

The sound of the door opening and closing behind her put Asami on guard. She whirled around in her chair, startled out of her slightly sleepy musings to see that it was only Korra, messy-haired and red-eyed from sleep. Asami relaxed immediately, offering a tired smile.

"What are you doing up?"

"Naga's _howling_ in her sleep again," Korra grumbled as she approached the dashboard, rubbing the back of her neck. "No hope of _moving_ her, so I figured I'd stop by and see how you're holding up." That deepened Asami's smile.

"Nothing to report," she said in a mockingly stiff voice. The familiarity of her tone dawned on her the moment the words were out, and Asami sat bolt upright, throwing her shoulders back and giving Korra a firm stare and a salute. That earned a hearty laugh, tired Avatar or not. Korra swung herself onto the dash, legs kicking lightly as they dangled.

"I'm glad you came with us." Korra's words were abrupt, but they made another smile creep onto Asami's face. "I admit... I was kinda worried, for a while. It was like Team Avatar was falling apart. You had your company, Bolin had his mover gig, Mako had his job..." Asami's brow tightened. This sounded a lot like a conversation she'd had with Bolin. "I didn't see you guys. Especially you and Bolin. So I'm glad you're here, now. And that we can all travel together. I think I'd go crazy if it was just me and the airbenders," Korra finished with a slight laugh. Asami knew what she was getting at. It wasn't that Korra disliked Tenzin or Jinora's company. The airbender lifestyle just didn't mesh with her. Asami knew that _she_ couldn't possibly make that kind of permanent adjustment. 

"It's good to be able to spend time together again," Asami finally replied, her eyes shifting between the limited night time view of the mountains and Korra so that she avoided staring too long. Asami didn't specify if she was talking about Team Avatar or Korra herself. "That faulty deal with Varrick was a good thing in disguise, in the end. I can actually _afford_ to take some time off, now."

Both women fell silent for a moment, after that- Asami sometimes gently redirecting the ship, Korra settled on the dashboard with her elbows on her knees. Asami didn't mind the quiet, but after a moment she could see Korra watching her out of the corner of her eye, and suddenly paying attention to the landscape in front of them was a bit more of a chore.

"It's been a while, since we've spent time like this," Asami finally said, breaking the silence and chancing eye contact with Korra again, who seemed to jump upon realization that she had been staring. Neither of them had really acknowledged their private talks. They were infrequent, yes, but they had an intimacy about them. Asami shared things with Korra she wouldn't have otherwise let out, and she suspected it was the same for Korra, in spite of the fact that she had more people in her life with which to share her thoughts and burdens. Maybe moments like this were what they had been quietly referring to all along, with their expressed joy that they could make this journey together. That little unnamed _something_ that made it so easy to share the same space.

Korra didn't respond verbally, but Asami didn't mind. They could communicate so much with a look, with a twitch of the shoulder or a tip of the head. Another long moment passed again before Asami piped up with a very different demeanor, suddenly eager and challenging.

"So. Think you can drive an airship?" It would at least give Korra something to do rather than just sit and watch.

Not that Asami minded being watched.

"I _think_ I need to graduate from driving a _car_ first." Korra's voice carried an uncertain edge.

"This is even easier, I promise. No clutch." Asami smirked. "Just a few levers and the occasional spin of the wheel." She stood from her chair and leaned expectantly against the dash. Korra's nervous smile widened, but she eventually pushed off from her perch and settled in the captain's chair, taking the wheel and leaning back as she adjusted herself with her lips set in a pout. Korra's _focusing_ face, at least when she was trying something unfamiliar. Asami couldn't help but recognize it and smile, at this point.

"This one's your altitude adjustment. And you push this one forward to speed it up-" Asami explained the basics, leaning over Korra as she pointed out various controls. Their hands occasionally brushed, and Asami couldn't help but notice how close their faces were every time she turned to explain something. But it wasn't the closeness or the contact that bothered her. It was her reaction to it. Korra didn't seem to notice, but Asami... Something curled in her chest with each touch. She _noticed_ it too much. Korra's warm hands, her eager, blue eyes, that tiny bit of her bangs that refused to stay in her hair ties...

"Ease up on the acceleration when...?" Korra speaking up snapped Asami out of her distracted thoughts, but not enough for her to remember what had been happening only a moment ago. 

"What?" To which Korra chuckled and Asami felt her ears grow red hot. Oh no...

"You were saying something about easing the acceleration, then you just trailed off." Try as Asami might, she couldn't keep herself from returning Korra's gaze, still leaned over her and her train of thought leaving the station without her. Korra really _did_ have stunning eyes...

"I was... When the wind picks up. Ease on the acceleration when the wind picks up." Nice catch. Just several seconds of uncomfortable staring too late. Uncomfortable, it seemed, only for Asami. Korra hadn't noticed, or at least she acted like she hadn't. 

"You got it, Captain Sato," Korra replied with another small laugh as she made an adjustment on the wheel. Asami backed up, watching Korra intently from behind with her lips pursed and her arms folded. What was _that?_ She'd never felt so awkward around Korra, never completely lost track of her thoughts, especially in favor of admiring her eyes or the softness of her skin...

Asami had always liked Korra, even from the moment she'd finally gotten a chance to speak with the Fire Ferret's infamous new waterbender at the gala held in her honor. It had been lovely to meet her, and even though it had been obvious from the get-go that Korra wasn't fond of _her,_ Asami had always been eager to impress Korra, to be where she was. There was an energy about her, a fire that burned hotter than any Asami had felt. And she _could_ feel it. It permeated everything that made Korra who she was- her compassion, her leadership, her pure physical prowess. It drew Asami in and didn't let go, and it had only seemed to burn brighter when Korra had accepted Asami as a friend.

But now...

Asami's arms curled more tightly as she examined her own actions over the past few weeks, maybe even months. She was just imagining all those times she had tossed her hair, shifted her weight to her hip, sent Korra a gentle smile across the table at group meals. Wasn't she? They were only standing out now that she was thinking so intently about them. 

The argument sounded weaker and weaker the longer Asami's thoughts lingered on it.

She had a crush.

Asami had a crush on Korra.

"Am I doing all right?" And it was Korra's voice, once again, that snapped Asami out of her in-retrospection. She really ought to be paying attention, with this being Korra's first time flying-

"We're still in the air, aren't we?" Asami stepped closer again, settling on the dash like Korra had earlier. The startling realization of the past few minutes pecked at the top of her mind, try as she might to ignore it. There were knots in her stomach, but they weren't entirely unpleasant. She kept having to force herself to look outside, if only to _stop_ herself from looking at Korra. The gravitational draw to her was so much stronger now that Asami had finally pieced together what exactly it was that had her so _drawn_ to the other woman. 

"Good point! Keep this up, I could be a fighter airship pilot in _no_ time!"

"Last time I checked, Future Industries wasn't in the market for fighter _airships._ "

"Hey, all I'm saying is that with a more efficient floating system, you could fit some craaazy weapons on this bad boy." Asami smiled and exhaled a short laugh as Korra took a tighter grip on the wheel and crouched in her chair like she was bracing herself against imaginary enemies.

"It's a luxury cruiser, Korra."

"All the better! No one will ever see it coming!"

"I'll get my people on it, then. What do you want a combat-equipped airship for, anyway?" Korra hesitated for a moment, looking back at Asami rather than out the front window.

"Still trying to figure that one out," she finally admitted. Asami only smiled. Really, this was one of those conversations that was only amusing because it was so late. She was tired, as was Korra, undoubtedly. "But maybe if we're toting around a little more muscle, the new airbenders will be more willing to join."

"We're _toting around_ the Avatar. No better muscle than that." Asami folded her arms, still sporting the same fond smirk that made it obvious she was both joking and completely serious.

"I do what I do," Korra fired back with a note of cockiness and the signature crooked smile that made Asami's heart stutter.

They sat just like that, for how long, Asami couldn't say, but the stillness came to an abrupt end when she caught sight of something very large approaching straight ahead. Asami's head whipped around just in time to see-

"Mountain- Korra, mountain!" The Avatar, also snapped out of the easy silence, whipped the wheel to the right just in time to bank the ship and avoid the peak. The entire ship leaned and creaked heavily to the side, sending loose maps tumbling across the dash and onto the floor. Korra's chair started to roll, and Asami stumbled. It was several seconds before the ship righted itself back on course, leaving both Korra and Asami still as statues, breath heavy with the sudden rush of adrenalin after that near-disaster. Cautiously, Asami glanced over to Korra, who was still clinging to the wheel hard enough for her knuckles to turn white.

Korra broke the tension first. She burst out laughing, head thrown back in a rush of relief. That could have gone _so_ much worse. It only took Asami a moment to chime in with laughter of her own, and Korra finally found her voice:

"So how many people do you think just woke up on the floor?"

"I don't know, but if-"

The sound of the pilot's hatch opening cut Asami off and in rushed Tenzin, wide awake and answering Korra's question for her.

"What's happened? Is everything all right?"

Lips pursed nervously and amusement fading from her expression, Asami dared to meet Korra's eyes with a sideways glance. Their faces were nearly identical. She looked back to Tenzin, arms folded uncomfortably. The truth would be best, wouldn't it?

"Sorry, Tenzin. We had to swerve to avoid-"

But Korra had already started _her_ version of the story.

"-a flock of iguana parrots! I didn't even know they were nocturnal! There were suddenly just so _many_ of them!" She told her story in general Korra fashion, with wild expressions and gestures going in every which direction. Tenzin, ever stoic, only frowned. It was difficult to tell if he'd bought it or not.

"Very well. Perhaps leave the piloting to the expert from now on?" He raised one bushy eyebrow in Korra's direction, and the Avatar pulled nervously at her collar with a grin.

"Yoouuu got it, Tenzin." He only turned to leave once Asami had taken her place in the captain's chair once again. When the door was closed, it was like the room itself exhaled in relief. Asami eyed Korra as she set their course straight once again.

"A flock of iguana parrots?"

"What else was I supposed to say! _Oh, I wasn't watching, and we almost crashed into a mountain top. But we didn't! Crisis averted._ How well do you think _that_ would have gone over? Three in the morning is _not_ when I want to be sitting through a Tenzin lecture."

"All right, all right. I'll give you this one." With a small smile, Asami returned her attention to the window and the stretch of Earth Kingdom mountains before them. "I guess we _should_ have you master the satomobile before you try to tackle the airship." That made Korra laugh.

"I'm fine, as long as you're not _distracting_ me!"

"I wasn't even doing anything!"

"You were _looking_ at me!"

"What else was I supposed to do?" Their tones were obviously in good nature, but Asami couldn't help a small, nervous laugh. Had she just admitted that she'd been staring? But then so had Korra...

"I don't know-!" Korra threw her hands up and rested her elbows on the dash. A moment later, she looked to Asami with a sly grin. "So when's it my turn, again?"

"Maybe we should hold off. You're so easily _distracted,_ " Asami said pointedly with a smirk of her own in Korra's direction.

And maybe she was just imagining it, but she could have sworn she saw a faint dusting of pink on Korra's cheeks in the low cabin light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! I promise I'm not letting this one go, school's just been picking up a lot. I'm starting to ease into something a little more than friendship, now that we're into Book 3!


	4. A Real Getaway?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra gets to thinking while she heals Asami's scrapes after their fight with a gang of bandits.

"It's me."

Evening was approaching when Korra knocked on Asami's door. One hour until the team would begin their mission to save the airbenders from the Earth Queen's secret prison. Korra was checking up on everybody, making sure they were well prepared.

"Come in." Asami's voice sounded from inside and Korra opened the door, blinking for a moment when she was met with the sight of Asami sitting on the edge of her bed in nothing but her riding pants and a light, snug undershirt. It was rare that she was ever under-dressed. Come to think of it, Korra had never seen Asami in anything less than her layered robe and nightgown. She was always so put together. Korra had never really noticed Asami's build, before. All slender muscle under gentle curves...

Why was she even thinking about that at all?

Korra pulled herself to the present, and her brow creased when she noticed that Asami had draped a wet wash cloth over her bare shoulder, and was currently dabbing it against her skin. Korra noticed abbrasions and bruises on Asami's shoulder as she drew closer, letting the door close behind her. Asami's lips pulled into a tight, pursed frown as she worked at gently scrubbing the dirt out of the minor but painful wounds.

"Did something happen?" Korra asked, concerned, head tipped and eyes worried. "That... wasn't from the sparring earlier, was it?"

"No." Asami looked up at Korra with the hint of a smile. Phew. Korra felt badly about going overboard, now that her head had cooled off. Even if her self control was so much better than it had been a year ago, accidentally airbending at Asami... It left a pit in her stomach. "I think I took a hit when we were fighting the bandits," Asami continued, "It's not a bad one. I didn't even notice when it happened." Asami lowered the cloth back onto her arm when Korra cut in.

"Wait- let me heal it. It won't take long, and it'll feel better." That caused Asami to raise her eyebrows before giving Korra another small smile.

"Okay." She set the cloth down in the small basin at her feet as Korra reached to bend the water from there and hold it against Asami's injured shoulder. She relaxed as soon as the water started glowing, much to Korra's delight. "Thank you."

"No problem. Seriously, if anything like this ever happens, just ask. I'm happy to help." They exchanged smiles, and though her focus was mostly on Asami's shoulder, Korra couldn't help but notice that she was being watched. Not in any particular way, but Asami was close and just... quietly eyeing Korra's face as she concentrated on pulling the pain away from her cuts and bruises. It was another moment before Korra spoke up again.

"And don't offer to help me blow off steam, either! I can just beat up one of the guys, if I want." Her tone was good-natured and joking, even though she was serious.

"I told you, it's not that bad. And the _guys_ were nowhere to be found, remember?" Asami was equally light in her words.

"Yeah, yeah..." It was starting to dawn on Korra, all the little ways Asami went out of her way for her. Asami was sweet and caring by nature, of course she always wanted to help. But lately? Some days it was like they spent more time together than not. Korra didn't have any experiences to compare her friendship with Asami to. She hadn't been exaggerating, when she'd told her that she'd _never_ had a girlfriend to just hang out with and talk to. It was nice, to have someone she felt she could always rely on. And Asami _was_ reliable. A level thinker and the most loyal friend Korra could ask for. It had been almost a year since Team Avatar had patrolled the streets of Republic City, but here was Asami, setting her job aside to accompany Korra on her journey to help restore the Air Nation. Korra knew all about heavy obligations, but she was completely ignorant as to what being a CEO actually entailed. Meetings, probably. A lot of talking about money and trying to get through the thick skulls of old men. It was a tough job. One _Korra_ certainly wasn't cut out for. 

Was Asami out on this trip because she wanted to get away from it for a while?

"Sorry this whole trip isn't exactly turning out like we planned." Korra didn't know how long they had been sitting in silence, but she suddenly felt the need to say that.

"Hm?" Asami, however, seemed slightly confused, the corners of her lips turned curiously down as she tipped her head at Korra.

"It was supposed to be pretty straightforward, even with so many people not wanting to join, but... now we're about to openly defy the Earth Queen and risk getting rocks shot at us by corrupt Dai Li agents. Maybe worse." Korra made a face. "Not exactly what they put on the Earth Kingdom getaway brochures." She finally looked up from Asami's shoulder, her expression apologetic.

"I didn't think it was going to be _easy._ " There was a note of amusement in Asami's voice and an ease in her expression that surprised Korra. "I knew what I was getting myself into. Don't worry about it." She added another reassuring smile for good measure. Those smiles...

"Well, then... I'm glad to have you around." 

"It's good to _be_ around." The uncertainty melted to softness in Korra's eyes with Asami's reassuring words. Of course Asami didn't mind. She was _Asami._ Korra couldn't think of a single moment when Asami _hadn't_ thrown herself whole-heartedly into helping her. That still didn't erase Korra's desire to apologize for the tumultuous nature of their trip, but there was reassurance in Asami being here for her, and that it didn't matter how much fun the trip was, or in this case, _wasn't._ "I'd much rather spend time with you than sit though meetings with a bunch of stubborn old guys." Ha! So that _was_ what running a company was like!

_And_ she was better company than some stubborn old rich people!

"We're just going to have to take a real trip, one of these days," Korra jokingly decided as she let the water slip off Asami's now healing shoulder and back into the basin. She watched as Asami rolled it and inspected her skin. The cuts now looked like they could be several days old, and she seemed to be moving better.

"A _real_ trip, huh? We're seeing the world already, what more can there possibly be?" Asami turned to eye Korra with a sly smile.

"Who knows? You're the genius, I'm sure you can think of something." Korra smirked as Asami affectionately shook her head and stood from the bed. They both fell silent again, Asami because she was slipping into her top and jacket and Korra because she was watching.

...Watching?

Watching _what?_

Korra only realized she had been staring when Asami suddenly turned to face her, adjusting her gloves and raising her eyebrows at the Avatar's uncharacteristic, faraway silence.

"You ready?"

Korra blinked to clear her thoughts. They had a long night ahead of them. She wasn't about to let herself get distracted and distant now, even if she wasn't even sure what was distracting her in the first place.

"Yeah. Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say about this one! Cheesy foreshadowing, hurrhurr <3 They're definitely starting to warm up to each other a little more...


	5. Waiting for Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That was what the days felt like, now. They waited for night, then they waited for morning, and nothing ever happened in between. 
> 
> And that was where Korra and Asami were, now. Waiting for sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE, quick update this time! I had some free time today, so I whipped this out while the ideas were fresh in my head.

The extent to which Asami Sato could devote herself to something, or in this case, some _one,_ was truly a sight to behold.

The sound of wind chimes had filled the Air Temple in reverent celebration of Jinora's airbending mastery when Asami glanced down to check on Korra and saw tears streaking down her cheeks. Asami's face had fallen, and a sore ache that was becoming more and more familiar had shot through her chest. Everyone was trying so hard to make everything better, to make sure Korra knew that everything would be okay while she recovered, that she could take all the time she needed. Even Tenzin was always so reassuring. The airbenders could hold down the fort! It was okay!

But it wasn't okay.

If Asami had learned only one thing in the time she had spent with Korra, it was that telling her that everything would be okay _without_ her was nearly the worst thing anyone could say, regardless of good intentions.

And there they had been, surrounded by all of these people who would _replace_ the Avatar because she was too weak, too battered to maintain balance anymore. This was why while Korra's tears rent straight through Asami's heart, they didn't surprise her. Korra's duty was the very core of her being. Whether that was good for her or not, it was true, and the more Asami looked back, the more obvious it became that the world was trying so desperately to tear that away. Amon had preached that the Avatar was obsolete. So had Unalaq, then the Red Lotus, and they had all sought to destroy her, in their way.

Every time, they nearly succeeded.

And _every time,_ Korra sprang back with such ferocity and passion and _purpose_ that it left Asami slack-jawed and in awe that one person could be so powerful in both body and spirit. 

Now here was the whole world, telling her that this purpose to which she had devoted her entire life was unnecessary. That her absence would mean nothing.

That was why, surrounded by friends and family, the sound of chimes and the scent of sandalwood, Asami had reached for Korra's shoulder in a silent signal that had developed between them in the past two weeks.

_Do you want to get out of here?_

Korra's tiny nod had been the only signal Asami needed. She had made eye contact briefly with Tonraq.

_I've got this._

So the two women had left, seeking refuge in the silence of Korra's room on the island. Asami had let Korra's hair down, helped her change into comfortable sweats, and settled down with tea and a book to wait out the afternoon. That was what the days felt like, now. They waited for night, then they waited for morning, and nothing ever happened in between. 

And that was where Korra and Asami were, now. Waiting for sleep. 

Asami did as little for Korra as she possibly could, not because she didn't want to help, but because she knew that the more Korra did for herself, the better it would be for her withered emotional state. But even the simplest things were a challenge. Eating, bathing, sleeping, getting out of the room... Even if the severe emotional trauma of the past weeks (or had this been building for much longer?) had not been so crippling, there was only so much Korra could do with broken legs and poison-damaged motor skills. So Asami let her pull her own legs into bed, only twitching into action when Korra winced in pain. But Korra was able to complete the action without her help, and that alone was a step better than last night.

It was the little things that mattered.

"Do you want some tea? Water?" Asami asked quietly from the chair in Korra's room that had basically become hers over the past few weeks.

Korra shook her head, eyes heavy and distant, and it was down times like these that Asami could let her thoughts turn inward, think about her own role in everything that had happened. Or, more specifically, her own role as she related to _Korra_ over these past few weeks.

It had been scary, when she left to turn herself in. Terrifying when she had lain in her father's arms, still as death and eyes trapped in the white glow of the Avatar State. Asami was almost ashamed to admit to herself that, for a moment, she had thought Korra wouldn't make it. Brave, brilliant, _powerful_ Korra wouldn't make it. It was thinking back to that moment that made Asami realize that she couldn't imagine her life without Korra in it, anymore. Where would she be? What would she do? After a sheltered life of limited playdates and strict schooling, Asami had never had anyone to truly call her best friend. 

Yet, in what seemed like no time at all, Korra had already met and transcended what Asami had thought she would ever find in a friend.

"I think I'm going back to the South Pole."

Korra speaking up in the darkness dragged Asami out of her thoughts. She sat in silence for another moment, processing and thinking. Yes, it could be good for her to get away from it all. And Asami was sure she could find a way to keep Future Industries operating on its own for a few weeks...

"I just need to... get away from the city, I think."

Asami nodded, though she wasn't sure if Korra saw it. There could be any number of reasons Korra was telling her this now, so Asami decided to voice the inevitable.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Silence. And the longer it lasted, the more Asami knew what was coming.

"I think I need to do this on my own." The words were quiet, as if Korra was testing them.

"Okay." 

"Only for a little while," added hastily on the end, as if Korra could hear the loss in Asami's voice in spite of her every attempt to hide it. "A few weeks. A month, tops. I just... I need this."

"Korra... You don't need to explain anything. Really." Asami's voice was gentle, but not condescending. Never condescending.

"I wanted to. To you."

The silence that filled the room was different after Korra dropped that little bomb. It was full. It was a presence in itself. Asami's mind whirred in a dozen different directions, inevitably latching onto what Korra had said and trying to pick out what exactly she had meant by that specification. They had grown so much closer, after Harmonic Convergence. Closer than they were to the brothers, really. Asami couldn't think of another friendship she could compare this to. She had always gone out of her way to help her friends, but the drive that she felt to help Korra, to be with her, to make her smile...

'Friends' did feel like it cut it anymore.

But then what were they? The question had been floating around Asami's head for weeks, now, and she still couldn't find the answer. Even Korra had just acknowledged _it,_ whatever it was, in singling out that she wanted to make sure Asami understood why she was leaving. Why she was leaving _her._ The answer prodded gently at the front of Asami's mind, bubbling on the surface but not quite formed enough to be clear.

"Thank you." It was another moment before she stood to leave. She was only sleeping in the next room over. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No." Asami thought she heard a quiet note of relief in Korra's voice, and she mustered a small smile in the dark. She leaned down to where Korra sat in bed for their good-night hug, and only when it was over would Asami realize that they had _both_ held on a little too long.

"Good night, Asami."

"Good night, Korra..." _I love you._

The words sprang to the tip of Asami's tongue without her even thinking, but she stopped them before they were out. She froze, barely out of Korra's arms, eyes snapped open and heart racing at the realization at what had almost slipped out. She hadn't been thinking it, or, at least, she hadn't _realized_ she'd been thinking it. It was just there, all of a sudden, and now it wasn't going away. Asami finally backed away, standing up straight and absently pushing her hair back. Thankfully, Korra didn't notice her brief, if externally subtle moment of panic.

Friends said that they loved each other, right? Asami wasn't so timid about her feelings that she would deny the fact that she _would_ tell Korra that she loved her if the situation were appropriate for it. But it didn't feel like that. It didn't feel like a friendly expression at all. She flipped through their memories together as she stood at Korra's bedside. All those times she had tried so hard to impress her, to be by her side, to lend an ear... Just the number of times Asami had caught herself staring or thinking or _worrying_. She remembered that night on the airship when she had reflected in a similar manner. But that had been late at night, she'd been tired, she'd...

She'd tried making excuses to herself like she was now. But there just weren't any to be found.

Asami loved Korra.

She would cross the world for her, she would put her life and her work on hold for her, she would spend an entire day by her side, just with the slim hope of making her smile, making her laugh. Especially now.

"Knock on the wall if you need anything," she finally managed, thankful that Korra hadn't pointed out her moment of awkward silence. They had learned to read each other so well. Learned when and when not to speak up, or ask questions, or reach out. In spite of the haze Korra was trapped in, Asami once again felt that _click,_ that mutual understanding that made questions pointless. But now wasn't the time to voice any of that. When Korra was better, when the _world_ was better, they would talk. There wasn't anything to really discuss, right now. All there was for Asami to do was be there. She would be the one to witness Korra's worries and fears, and she would be Korra's crutch when it all became too much. _This_ was who she was to Korra right now. There wasn't a word for it, really, and there didn't have to be.

Asami would hesitantly assume that Korra knew what words had been coming next when she had trailed off awkwardly.

And she would be right.


	6. Only Three Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Without Korra, Republic City had kept going. _Asami_ had kept going. But it wasn't the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I proofread this at five in the morning, so I apologize in advance for glaring typos.

Without Korra, Republic City had kept going. _Asami_ had kept going. In the months and years following Harmonic Convergence, Future Industries flourished. Asami's innovative thinking and finesse were in high demand, and projects both public and private were rolling in at a steady rate. She immersed herself in her work and became a paradigm of progressive business management in the United Republic. She was at the forefront of a campaign to encourage women to join the sciences, and funded local universities' engineering programs. She was respected and admired, internationally recognized, transcending the scorn her father had brought on their name.

And she was lonely.

Every night, she returned to an empty estate. Mako and Bolin's family was still on the grounds, and while they sometimes shared meals or spent time at the pool together, it did little to push away the miserable, empty feeling that sometimes scraped at her from the inside. It wasn't crippling, but it had been there since the Equalist revolution. This was the default, now. She lived alone. She unwound by tinkering in the garage. Most of the people whom she spoke with were other engineers and businesspeople, mostly older, mostly men. Had she taken on all of this work on purpose, she sometimes wondered? In the wake of the dispersion of Team Avatar, making new friends was difficult. How many early-twenty-somethings could she relate to? Not many. The questions about her romantic life grew exhausting.

_Any special man in your life?_

_No,_ she would always tell the reporters and small-talking gala attendees. Then there was always the inevitable:

_Oh, but a beautiful and high-standing young woman like you-_ and that was where she would check out of the conversation. She didn't need to hear it all over again. Maybe some people thought she didn't make the time, or that she was secretly spoiled and catty behind closed doors, but Asami knew the truth. 

She just wasn't interested.

But she was reaching the age when her peers were starting to settle down, or at least find more serious relationships. Asami had certainly never had one of _those._ Growing up in her father's protective gaze, _Mako_ had been the closest thing to a serious relationship she'd ever had, and that was nothing more than a footnote, now. Something to roll her eyes at when she let her mind wander too far into the nostalgia of the old Team Avatar. Infrequently as they saw each other these days, she and Mako were on good terms, but she would never try to rekindle the weak spark between them.

No, thoughts of that nature were only accompanied by Korra, now.

They were always bittersweet. Asami could get completely lost, sitting in her office on a warm day and replaying memories of two years ago. While the journey through the Earth Kingdom had been trying and at times extremely dangerous, Asami would never trade the moments that had come in between. Watching the airbenders, sparring with friends, seeing more of the world than she ever had, and there was Korra at the center of it all. Korra and her brilliant eyes and carefree smiles in spite of her troubles. She was selfless and compassionate and so _brave,_ and it had always been so easy to be around her. Asami smiled at herself now, always a touch embarrassed by how often she had sought out Korra's company, how much she had enjoyed impressing her, caught herself staring. It was so _obvious_ now that she looked back. She had never had a friend like that.

"Friend."

But it had all happened at the wrong time. Was there ever going to be a _right_ time? Asami thought so less and less, when each passing day brought no news of Korra's condition. Long before the sadness over the gap Korra had left was the fear for her well-being. Asami could only imagine a fraction of the pain she had suffered. How long would it all last? Asami's unwavering faith that Korra could overcome anything shook whenever she remembered the bad nights, when Korra would snap and lash out at her for the smallest things. So Asami would leave for the night and lie awake in her own bed, unable to ignore the muffled sobs that penetrated the thin wall separating their rooms. Left alone, Korra would spend the entire day in her room, staring out over the bay.

When she was gone, Asami wrote her. She never really had to think about what she would write. The words appeared on their own.

_Dear Korra, I miss you._

So much more than she even thought she would.

_It's not the same in Republic City without you._

Asami had lived in this city her entire life, and it had taken Korra only a year to become an irreplaceable part of it.

_How are you feeling?_

Have you gotten any feeling in your legs back yet? Are your arms getting stronger? Do the smiles come on their own? Is getting out of bed still another mountain to climb? I'm worried about you.

_Things are going well, here..._

Maybe Asami's world hadn't stopped spinning in Korra's absence, but it had certainly lost much of its luster. It would be more than two years of writing and not even knowing if her letters were read before Asami heard from Korra, and she would vividly remember the day the valet knocked on her home office door carrying a letter from the Southern Water Tribe. 

"Miss Sato?"

It was early evening. The setting sun cast a warm glow across her desk, and a cool breeze fluttered across the room. She was reading through a draft for a press release regarding the opening of the train station in a few months.

"Come in."

She was wearing a buttoned pencil skirt and sweater. Her hair was a little frizzy that day, and she'd chipped a nail in the shop this morning.

"All of your personal mail for the day, Miss Sato."

"Thank you, you can just leave it here."

With a polite nod, he left the letters on the desk and closed the door behind him. There were two. Asami's jaw tightened when she saw the one on top, addressed from Republic City Federal Prison. Jaw quivering and a mix of emotions welling in her chest, she yanked open her desk drawer and put her father's letter among all the others. She wasn't up for that, right now, and his were the only letters she ever received. Who else was there to write her? There was always the tiny hope that _maybe this was the time_ Korra would get back to her, but that excitement was always let down quickly.

Except today there _was_ another letter. Asami hadn't even registered it in the habitual anger and disappointment that came from her father's latest attempt to contact her, but there it was, sitting innocently on her desk, addressed from the Southern Water Tribe.

Her heart skipped, the shock of realization was a physical reaction, like something jumping into her throat. She picked it up from her desk, holding the envelope like it was something precious, and stood from her desk. She wasn't sure where she was going until she was closing her bedroom door and curling up in bed, carefully tearing open the seal and pulling out the letter.

Korra's letter.

_Dear Asami,_

Asami's heart pounded in her ears, and she had to remind herself to exhale as she pored over Korra's familiar handwriting.

_I'm sorry I haven't written to you sooner, but every time I've tried I never knew what to say._

Her eyes softened. More than once, she had caught herself wondering if maybe she and Korra weren't as close as she had thought. Maybe the distance and time had been enough to muffle their bond, to push Asami to the wayside of Korra's life. Reading this now, she felt a flash of guilt. She felt selfish. How could she assume that, after all they had been through together, after all the time they had shared? Korra had said it herself, Asami was her first real girl friend. She had let the time and silence plant doubt, and now it was melting away in spite of the painful, if small, pangs of guilt. 

_The past two years have been the hardest of my life._

That had been Asami's biggest fear. Korra wasn't staying in the south because she wanted to. She was staying because she had no choice. Asami wished she could have been there, wished she could have at least visited, but Korra had asked for space. _"It'll be good for me."_ As long as Korra knew that Asami would be happy to keep her company, that was all she could do. 

_Even though I can get around fine now, I still can't go into the Avatar State. I keep having visions of Zaheer, and what happened that day._

Relief and worry. She was moving on her own. Asami knew that it had whittled at Korra's state of mind, that she hadn't been able to take care of herself, never mind get around as she used to. But she couldn't get into the Avatar State. It wasn't surprising that the events haunted her. Emotional damage was so much more difficult to beat than physical. Asami's lips turned down in a tight, pained frown. She was glad that Korra felt comfortable telling her about this. If she could ease even a fraction of the weight on Korra's mind, she would, even if all she could do was listen. It didn't matter that they hadn't actually seen each other in years; they still _trusted_ each other. That was the only important thing. 

_Katara thinks a lot of this is in my head, so I've been meditating a lot, but sometimes I worry I'll never fully recover._

" _I know you can,_ " Asami murmured, still curled up on her bed. If anyone could beat this, it was Korra.

_Please don't tell Mako and Bolin I wrote to you and not them. I don't want to hurt their feelings, but it's easier to tell you about this stuff. I don't think they'd understand._

Asami sat up when she read that, lips parting in mild surprise. She was certain that Mako and Bolin had been writing her. But... Korra trusted her to understand things more than she trusted the guys. She hadn't even considered that she might be the only one of the three Korra chose to write. There was that familiar but recently rare swelling of emotion, again. She _wanted_ Korra to trust her and feel safe sharing her troubles, and she was glad that she did, even though Asami would prefer more than anything that Korra just be okay. She didn't want Korra to need a friend like this, but she wanted to be that friend. 

The sun was set by the time Asami finished reading and rereading the letter. There wasn't any hidden meaning behind Korra's words. She knew that. But it had been nearly three years without a peep, and now here was tangible word. Knowing, even when the situation was bad, was better than being in the dark. 

Asami still missed Korra. It didn't sting in the same way it had, those first few weeks and months, but it had become a dull ache, an emptiness in her life that had formed where Korra's captivating spirit had once been. She had more presence than any person Asami had ever known, and that was even more evident in her absence.

She was getting there, though. She could come back soon.

That night, curled up in bed in her nightgown, Asami read the letter one last time. Her eyes were heavy and drifted closed on their own just as she read _it's easier to tell you about this stuff,_ Korra's voice coming through the letter lulling her to sleep. 

Soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't initially intend for Asami's in-retrospective to go on as long as it did, so I'm sorry if this chapter is too much thinking and not enough actually happening. It just didn't feel right diving into the time skip without shedding light on what's been going through Asami's head for the past few years. Getting all of that exposition over now seemed better than trying to weave too much of it into the future post-skip chapters. She's had quite a lot happening! I'm only skimming over Korra's side of the timeskip because its details are well covered in canon. Her journey is more of an internal and deeply personal one that doesn't quite fit into the context of this fic.


	7. Air Temple Island, Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've lived in Republic City my whole life, and you were only here for a fraction of it. But it still felt like something was missing, once you were gone." Asami chanced a look up at Korra, and it was impossible to contain a smile when their eyes met. The red on their cheeks was faint but noticeable in the dying evening light.

"No matter how crazy things get, I'll _always_ try to restore balance."

Asami watched Korra out the corner of her eye, a small smile forming when her friend made peace with her momentary rut as they stood together under the meditation pavilion. After the occasional discomfort that had been the reunion yesterday, things had settled back to more or less the way they had been three years ago at an alarming pace. Talking to Korra was easy, even if it was a little different. _She_ was different. Maybe some of it was natural; they had both grown up. But now, Korra apologized for the smallest things. She spoke a little softer, looked away at times she used to make eye contact.

She _was_ back, though. That was something to be thankful for, and it was a sign of her continued improvement. Everything would go up from here. Korra was back where she belonged.

"And you won't do it alone, either," Asami offered.

"We're all with you, Korra. Anything you need." Oh, right. Tenzin was still here. Asami glanced over her shoulder, suppressing the slight twinge of irritation that he had shown up at this exact moment. It was harder than it used to be, finding quiet, alone time on Air Temple Island. The return of the Air Nation wasn't something to complain about, and Asami was grateful that Korra had a mentor and parental figure in Tenzin, but she also wanted to be alone with Korra, and Tenzin had a particular talent for popping up at times like this. 

With a heavy sigh and a grateful expression, Korra turned away from the bay to face Tenzin and Asami just in time for Ikki to swoop in from the center of the island.

"Daddy, you better come quick, Meelo's... I don't know, something about five lemurs, bison fur, and the men's dorm lavatories."

"Oh for the love of..." Tenzin grumbled under his breath as he jogged after Ikki, leaving Korra and Asami alone again. It was a bit of a relief for both of them, and Korra gave Asami an exasperatedly amused smile in reaction to Meelo's latest manufactured disaster. 

"You know, I always wanted to have kids, but Meelo might be enough to make me reconsider." That got a chuckle out of Asami, which in turn made Korra's smile widen. "Thanks again for the tea." She lifted the cup to her lips to take another sip, and Asami's expression was a nonverbal 'you're welcome.' Asami had thought she might be cold? That girl had too much Fire Nation in her. She didn't know the _meaning_ of cold! But the gesture was sweet all the same, as Korra had said. Tea was relaxing, and it helped Korra clear her mind. She needed to do that a lot, lately. 

The two settled into a comfortable silence, leaning against the rail, looking out to the bay and occasionally to each other. 

"I was pretty nervous about seeing you again."

Korra's confession made Asami fix her with a mild look. 'You' as in everyone or 'you' as in just Asami?

"It's been so long, I wasn't even sure if I should have written back to you after all the time that had passed." That startled Asami, and she leaned forward against the rail when she spoke up.

"I was just relieved to hear from you. I know some people can be uncomfortable talking to old friends, but..." Asami trailed off, watching Korra in earnest. 

"You sent me more letters than anyone," Korra said with a little grin as she stared down at her tea cup.

"Oh- Really?" Asami felt her face flush, and she was glad Korra was looking away.

"Yeah."

A pause.

"I missed you," Asami finally said, with a shrug. What else was there to say?

"You told me that, too." Finally, a hint of distantly familiar teasing in Korra's voice that made Asami smile and stare down at her hands, almost sheepishly. That certainly took her back, and she was talking before she knew exactly what she wanted to say.

"I've lived in Republic City my whole life, and you were only here for a fraction of it. But it still felt like something was missing, once you were gone." Asami chanced a look up at Korra, and it was impossible to contain a smile when their eyes met. The red on their cheeks was faint but noticeable in the dying evening light. "And now that you're back..." she trailed off, uncertain of how to even finish that thought. Just seeing her made it all rush back. Loose laughter and feathery smiles, hugs that lingered a scant moment longer than they should. 

_Distance makes the heart grow fonder._

Asami was coming to understand the old platitude. She had always seen it as a fool's phrase, an excuse for overblown nostalgia. But it wasn't the Korra from three years ago that she wanted to hold onto. Maybe she hadn't grown _fonder,_ rather, she had grown more aware. Life without Korra wasn't empty or meaningless, but it lost something. Something big. Asami had never been the type to shut out her feelings. She had come to terms with loving Korra years ago. But what _kind_ of love, exactly, she had never stopped to think. It had never been the right _time_ to stop and think, only to act as her instincts told her. Asami had nobody in her life to compare Korra to. Her relationship with her father was complicated and ever-changing, but regardless of its current nature, it wasn't supportive. It drained rather than filled. Who else did she have? Tenzin's family came the closest, but even the adoptive connection that had formed between them paled next to the effortless trust between her and Korra. 

How did Asami love Korra, then?

The question didn't have time to formulate in her mind before she answered it for herself. It took three years of separation to answer, but once the answer was there, Asami wasn't left with a fraction of a doubt. The way she could lose herself in Korra's eyes. How she could be perfectly content, admiring her strength of spirit and body. Korra was brilliant, inspiring, selfless, and stunningly beautiful all at once. She truly was amazing.

Asami didn't simply love her. She was _in_ love with her.

"There's _one_ more person happy to see me."

"Hey-" Asami nudged Korra's shoulder. "We built a giant statue of you. You must be doing _something_ right." She smiled when Korra let out a chuckle.

"Yeah... Sorry for being such a downer." Korra shook her head as the laughter quickly faded. Asami pursed her lips, bracing herself for what she was about to say.

"If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. What I said yesterday..." They both knew exactly what she was talking about. 

_You don't get to disappear for three years and then act like you know what's best for me._

"...It was completely out of line, and I of all people should have known better. I'm sorry." Asami didn't offer an excuse. This wasn't a superficial apology to worm out of her mistake, and presenting reasoning for her harsh words would only take away from it. No 'I just's or 'I only's.

"No, I... shouldn't have questioned your judgement. Not on something so personal. You were right, in a way. I haven't even been a part of your life for the past three years. I can't exactly give you advice," Korra said with a defeated smile. Asami shook her head.

"That doesn't mean there weren't a hundred better ways to word it." She took a deep breath, bracing herself for what she was about to admit to, both to herself and to Korra. "There was some stupid, irrational part of me that was _angry_ you were gone for so long." Where else could the outburst have come from? "When I went to talk to Dad for the first time, I'd been having a bad day. Not just work, but... I felt alone, and I let it get to me. I went to see him wanting to hurt him. Because he had hurt me."

A stillness cast over the pavilion as the last pinks and yellows of the sunset faded into the horizon.

"It hurt, when you were gone. But it wasn't you hurting me. It wasn't your fault. I was... bitter, and feeling sorry for myself, and I took it out you." Asami didn't remember looking away, but she set her gaze earnestly on Korra's. This was her own trace of poison, and she was letting it go. For the both of them.

Korra watched and listened, expression soft and reassuring. They could go back and forth forever on who had been in the wrong, but in the end, what mattered was that they forgave each other. Korra never forgot why she admired Asami, because Asami never really gave her a chance _to_ forget. Korra had already forgiven her for yesterday. They had all agreed that being together after these past years had been tricky at first, and if the sorrowful, if brief look they had exchanged before being launched into Operation: Rescue Wu said anything, it was that they had already regretted snapping. Even now, 'I'm sorry' would have been good enough, but 'good enough' didn't cut it for Asami Sato. Not when it came to telling Korra the truth. Korra had learned that time and time again, and maybe that was why nothing had ever been truly sour between them, even in the wake of Korra outing her father and the disaster with Mako.

They were both well past all of that and on the same page, and they were both thankful for that.

Korra couldn't think of anything more to say for the moment. Anything, at least, that couldn't be more easily conveyed with a hug. Korra turned to fully face Asami with open arms and a warm smile. No hard feelings. Her smile only widened when Asami didn't hesitate, and they slipped into each other's arms just like they had yesterday.

"I missed you, too," Korra said into her shoulder, eyes closed as she stood in the safety of the taller woman's embrace.

_Taller..._ Why was she still taller? Korra had _grown!_

"I'm so sorry I didn't write sooner-"

"Don't even worry about that."

Korra clung to Asami just a bit tighter, her fingers threading in her hair and that familiar welling sensation forming at the back of her throat and behind her eyes. It was easy to be like this with her. Korra didn't have to put on a smile. She didn't have to pretend to be okay, didn't have to worry about her unpredictable emotions. Asami had seen her through her lowest, had stayed _with her_ through her lowest. They could be vulnerable with each other.

"Thank you," Korra muttered, still huddled in Asami's shoulder and speaking without needing to think the words, "Thank you so much for everything."

Asami's smile was tinged with sadness, her chin resting lightly over Korra's shoulder. She nodded, knowing that Korra would feel it. What else would best friends do for each other? 

_Friends,_ she told herself.

Asami finally eased away from the hug at that thought, knowing that it would get awkward if it lasted much longer. At least Korra didn't seem to mind.

"You wanna head inside?" She could distract herself with speaking. "It's actually starting to get a little cold out here."

"Sure," Korra said with a little laugh as she took her empty teacup, and they made their way inside. "You should stay the night," she said over her shoulder, any lingering emotional pain gone for the moment. "For old times' sake. I'm sure Tenzin and Pema wouldn't mind."

A little laugh from Asami as she slid the women's dorm door shut behind them.

"I'd like to, but I think my old room is occupied by an actual airbender, now."

The solution was obvious, to Korra.

"You can stay with me!" 

Not so much to Asami.

"I... okay."

Korra stopped outside her door and turned to face Asami, confused.

"Unless you don't want to..."

"No! It's fine," Asami said hastily. "Sorry, I'm just..." She didn't have the right word, and the complete truth about her reluctance to stay in Korra's room would only be more uncomfortable right now.

"I totally get it."

_No, I don't think you do._

"It's been a long time, I shouldn't assume that you're comfortable spending the night together-"

"Korra."

The Avatar cut herself off, lips pursed and eyebrows raised when Asami interrupted. Her hand was still resting on the door. Asami continued:

"I want to spend the night. It's fine. We're still best friends." She trailed off for a moment, "If you want to be."

Korra's face lit up.

"You're the best."

Asami's heart skipped, and she couldn't help a silly smile as Korra finally opened the door and stepped inside.

"You can borrow some pants and a tee shirt to sleep in, if that wouldn't be too lowly for the _exquisite_ Miss Sato. Do you still sleep in your makeup?" Korra shot her a smug, teasing smirk as she kicked off her boots and jumped onto her bed. 

"That will be fine, and I have never slept in my makeup!"

"How am I supposed to know, I've never seen you without it!"

"That's because I'd rather not _be_ seen without it," Asami said simply as she sat in a chair to take off her own shoes.

"How come?"

All she could do was shrug. Asami wasn't lacking in confidence, and she never really thought about why she always wore makeup. Maybe she just always wanted to look as put together as possible.

"I'm sure you're just as beautiful without it... But you probably already knew that."

The room fell silent, and Asami glanced up as that sensation of her skipping heart returned. She'd been told all her life that she was beautiful by more people than she could recall. But the way Korra _said_ it... Asami tucked her hair back and settled back in the chair, expression non-committal but flattered. 

"Thank you." There was an unguarded fondness in her voice. What was the point in hiding it? Korra made her smile, made her laugh. There wasn't anything wrong with that.

"Why don't you try going without it? You can't be afraid to mix it up, sometimes."

At that, Asami's gaze snapped up just in time to see a cheeky smile appear on Korra's face.

"You still remember that?"

"Of course I still remember that! No one's ever invited me to their house for _car racing_ before."

Asami chuckled to herself and glanced out the window, over the bay and back to the city, to the lights reflecting off the water.

"I think I just... really wanted you to _like_ me."

"I did like you!"

With that, she fixed Korra with a raised eyebrow, and Korra conceded.

"Fine, I was kind of a jerk... at first... But I _did_ like you. And I like you even more, now."

Korra wasn't sure why she said that. That last part. That bit at the end. Right there. Asami caught on as soon as Korra did, and they fell quiet again, avoiding each others' eyes in the charged but not entirely uncomfortable silence. Asami smiled discretely to herself. Korra puffed out her cheeks and stared holes in the ceiling. This wasn't really happening, was it? She'd been here before, even if it felt different, even if it was somehow more comfortable this time. Rushing thoughts and a racing heart and blurting out dumb things...

Korra had known for a long time that she and Asami shared something closer than their friendship with the boys. A lot of it had been born out of Asami helping her around, those first few weeks after-

No, she wasn't thinking about that right now.

Asami was good at talking about difficult things. She wasn't afraid to be emotional. She had always stuck by Korra's side, even now, even after all their time apart and Korra's silence, she was willing to pick up right where they had left off. A smile crept back over Korra's features as she turned to look at Asami again, who was still watching the city. She _was_ beautiful. _Snazzy, even._ That blush from yesterday was back on Korra's cheeks as she replayed the meeting at the restaurant in her head, and she absent-mindedly twisted a bit of her hair as she remembered. The hair was a good change, then.

Korra figured she must look a little different than when she left. She _knew_ she had grown taller, but if that were the case, then so had Asami. Korra barely considered that she was staring as she appreciated the other woman's features, noting how she had changed from the pictures Korra kept to remember her friends at the South Pole. Her eyes had sharpened, but still carried their gentleness. The straight line of her nose, the fine cut of her jaw, the effortless fall of her hair... Were she and Hiroshi even related?

_Yeah, I think I like you a lot more._

The silence eventually broke, as it always did. They were left alone, save for the occasional footsteps of the airbenders and acolytes getting ready for bed. Korra insisted that Asami fill her in on the details of her work for the past few years, and it was well after midnight when Korra was drifting off in the middle of an explanation on the difficulties of building raised roadways while working around spirit vines.

"We had to make sure we didn't cause _any_ damage, or else- Korra," Asami cut herself off with a sentimental smile. "You don't have to pretend to enjoy this."

"Wha-?" Korra snapped suddenly awake, her body slumped awkwardly in a half-sitting position. "'M list'ning. Flying mechatanks didn't work out... Pillars for the roads..."

"That was ten minutes ago," Asami said with a laugh. She stood up and pulled opened Korra's closet to fetch pajamas for them both.

"Well sorryyy I'm not Republic City's _most brilliant rising engineer,_ " Korra countered in a mocking but amicable tone.

"Who told you _that?_ " Asami was flattered, but a bit embarrassed when Korra said it.

"Some guy on the radio. You really pushed for the park and that statue, didn't you?"

Still facing the closet, Asami pursed her lips before turning and casually tossing Korra some comfortable pants and an undershirt.

"Of course I did. You deserve it. I wasn't the only one who thought so." Asami turned back around to let Korra change in a little privacy, not that Korra cared. She only made a non-committal 'hm' at the mention that she deserved it. Saving the world plummeted her ratings and being crippled got her a statue and a whole park in her honor? That had nothing to do with Asami and everything to do with the people's skewed perspective. Korra knew that. It was a harsh reality, though.

They all just felt guilty.

Once again, Korra actively fought to keep her thoughts from wandering to dark places, and she sat up and stretched while Asami changed. The pants didn't quite cover her ankles. Korra smirked and inspected the inadequate hem when Asami spoke.

"Do you have a mat or... something?"

"Oh well... I figured... you could just climb in with me."

"Oh."

Korra's teeth audibly clicked together. Asami stood in the middle of the room looking humorously out of place in Korra's pajamas.

"I sleep on top of the covers anyway. I've crammed three crazy airkids in here with me-" _That's totally different, Korra_ "-so I figured you could fit just fine."

Asami pushed aside her misgivings with a shrug and a look that said 'good point.' Girls slept in each others' beds plenty. Maybe not at their age, but...

They both had their share of lost time to make up for, and not just because of the last three years.

Korra scooted over to give Asami a comfortable amount of space as she climbed under the covers. It was chilly, and the warmth was welcome. Leave it to Korra to be perfectly comfortable on the outside.

"You good?"

"Yeah."

Their voices were already heavy with sleep.

"'Night, then. Asami"

"Good night, Korra."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up being quite a bit longer than the previous chapters, but that's what I get for not outlining anything before jumping into the prose. Hopefully it doesn't drag too much! I'm really loving writing them interacting like this. Such precious little time in book 4...


	8. Something Lost, Something Gained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra's decided. Asami will never be alone as long as she can help it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is fairly short, but everything I tried to add just felt superfluous.

Korra was bruised all over. Gravel, kicked up from the damaged roads, was ground into scrapes on her shoulders and back. Her joints were sore. Her collar was torn, her hair a frazzled mess, but her stance was triumphant and unbroken.

Asami's fingers were reddened with mild machinery burns. Her chest and neck were sore from the force of being ejected from the hummingbird. The crossed seatbelt had left harsh red lines on her neck. In spite of everything, she had carefully rubbed away the black trails on her cheeks that came from mascara bleeding with tears. On top of everything else, the whole world didn't need to see that she had been crying.

"I need to help the airbenders get the rest of the displaced evacuees to sound locations for the night." Korra addressed her three best friends, her voice ragged and sluggish as they made their way away from the portal. "If you guys could help organize the people already at Air Temple Island, that would be amazing. I should be able to join you in a few hours." 

"You sure you don't want us to come with you?" Mako offered.

"I'd like you to... but I think Pema could really use the help more than I could. And you should get to a healer." She nodded at Mako's burned arm. Korra offered her friends a tired smile, briefly locking eyes with Asami. Her smile wavered, turning apologetic when she saw the quiet pleading behind her best friend's gaze. They knew each other well enough that words weren't always necessary. 

_I was so scared. Please don't take long._

What Asami's eyes gave away and what she actually said weren't quite the same:

"You haven't slept in two days, Korra."

"Neither have you guys. I'll be back to the Temple as soon as I can," she promised, more to Asami than the boys. The last time she had lost her father, Asami had only had Mako to lean on. Korra made a promise to herself that she wouldn't be alone through this, but they both knew that the biggest priority right now was securing the safety of all the displaced civilians. Those pretenses were so much more difficult to keep up at a time like this, but Korra's duty to the people came first. She felt certain in her decision to continue helping all the more because she knew _Asami_ would understand. She needed someone, but so did the multitudes of civilians who had just been left with nothing.

After a brief moment of silence, Bolin spoke up.

"All right, bring it in, Team Avatar."

A group hug for the first time in three years. Mako's long arms wrapped easily and protectively around all of them. Bolin's hold was stable and strong and rib-bruising as he rested his chin on Korra's shoulder. Asami melted into the embrace, her head lying on Korra's opposite shoulder as if it were a pillow. Korra's smile widened, her eyes sliding closed in relief as her friends all moved to hold her in their own ways. She patted Bolin's back, gave Makos' good forearm a small, reassuring squeeze, and let her head tip to the side ever so slightly to let it rest against Asami's.

"I love you guys so much," Bolin sniffled, bringing weary smiles to the three of them.

Korra wasn't surprised to see Asami's misty eyes and Bolin's unashamed tears when they finally pulled away. Mako... Well, Mako had never been a crier.

\----

It was nearly three in the morning when Korra finally got back to Air Temple Island.

The edges of her vision were starting to grow hazy and unpredictable. She kept picking up movement that wasn't actually there, her feet felt like exterior _things_ she had only a fraction of control over. Korra had to sleep soon.

"Korra-"

The Avatar was in the foyer of the women's dorms when she turned around at the quiet call of her name.

"Jinora? What are you still doing up?"

"I just finished setting up the last of the guests in their temporary rooms. I just wanted to let you know..." She glanced down the hall toward Korra's room with a concerned frown. "I set up Asami in your room. I thought maybe that would be best."

"Thank you," Korra said with a nod of gratitude. "She shouldn't be alone, right now." Her voice quieted as she cast a worried glance in the direction of her room.

"Well, she has you," Jinora responded in a tone so plain that Korra couldn't decide if there was anything additional meant behind the statement. 

"Yeah..." Korra trailed off for a moment. "I'll see you in the morning, Jinora. Er... probably afternoon." She started down the hallway and spoke over her shoulder, "Make that evening, just in case."

"Sleep tight, Korra," Jinora called quietly after Korra with a little chuckle before turning to head for her own room. 

When Korra silently slid open the door to her room, one last exhausted smile cracked her features when she saw Asami curled under a mess of blankets. Her breath was steady and slow with sleep, mixed with the occasional quiet snore. Korra stood at her door, for how long, she couldn't have said, but long enough to roll her eyes at herself when she realized she was staring. Unlikely as it was that Asami was going to wake easily, Korra was careful to stay light on her feet when she slipped out of her boots and dirty clothes and into a clean set of pajamas. The firm Tenzin-approved 'it's better for your back' mattress barely shifted when Korra settled next to Asami. It didn't matter that she was hogging all the blankets. Korra usually slept on top of them, anyway.

Sleep was already rolling in like a sudden tide when Korra's head hit the pillow. She curled onto her side, watching the faint details of Asami's face in the silvery moonlight. Even in sleep, her brow was slightly drawn, her lips were turned down. What was she dreaming about? She had settled herself against the wall, facing the rest of the room like a spooked animal. Before she could think about what she was doing, Korra reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair out of Asami's face. She sighed, her hand pausing to very nearly cup her cheek before falling away. Korra pulled gently away at the blankets just enough to find Asami's hands and take them in hers. 

"I want you to know that I'm here for you." The words were barely even a whisper. Asami didn't need to hear them this very moment, but Korra had needed to say them. It wasn't fair. Everything had been difficult enough between Asami and her father, and now whatever healing there had been was marred by another horrific black mark. Korra's eyes closed, a bittersweet sort of ache building in her chest as her body finally gave in to sleep. 

Asami had given Korra her all, and Korra was certain, now, that she would give Asami nothing less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Digging through caps and clips, I realized that _damn,_ those kids haven't slept in two whole days! Someone get them a pillow and fuzzy blankets, jeez.
> 
> This chapter was kind of tricky at first... Obviously, for storytelling purposes in canon, Korra had to comfort Asami about the loss of her father at the wedding. It saved precious screentime to have it happen well after the fight, blending the scene with Korra's wrapup with Tenzin and the girls leaving for the gaycation. Korra's choice of words+inflection in the scene make it pretty clear that this is the first time they've directly discussed Hiroshi's death. IMO, it would be OOC of Korra to _not_ have addressed it before then if she could have. That means I have to get a little creative with the post-battle scenario and fudge a way for the girls to interact without directly addressing Hiroshi. Hopefully it works without being too awkward? I have to admit, I ended up really pleased with Korra's little character moment, here. We don't get a lot of direct, overt moments in canon that highlight Korra's turning from seeing Asami as someone more than a friend in canon, so this felt like a nice full-circle for them, even before breaching post-finale territory.


	9. When Words Aren't Enough, Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't an explosive finale. It was a gear clicking into place. A sputtering flame finally burning steady. A soft exhale. A whispered _yes._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long gap between updates! RL obligations have been through the roof, but I finally sat down to put this chapter out. I only hope it was worth the wait...

They kissed, as the light of the spirit portal washed from gold to blinding white.

It wasn't a grand, epic moment. If this were a mover, there wouldn't have been a dramatic swell of the music. It simply... was. Korra sighed at the feeling of Asami's petal-soft lips. Asami wasn't surprised to find that Korra's were lightly chapped. Their hands rested tenderly on each others' arms, a gentle hold they had unknowingly grown accustomed to. Maybe there were things to be said, but they could be spoken in their own time. There was no rush anymore. 

It wasn't an explosive finale. It was a gear clicking into place. A sputtering flame finally burning steady. A soft exhale. A whispered _yes._

When they broke apart, their feet were already on the ground in a wide field of violets, familiar to Korra. They stayed close, ignoring their brilliant new surroundings in favor of each other. Asami's hands found the backs of Korra's shoulders, still holding her close. Korra's hands settled on Asami's waist. Tiny, giddy smiles widened the longer they stood together like this, noses lightly brushing and their bangs tickling each others' foreheads.

Asami was the first to move, though it was only to rest a hand on Korra's cheek as their eyes remained locked. Tonight had been one lovely surprise after another- not something that frequently happened to Asami. It had felt as if they had been dancing around each other ever since Korra had gotten back. Was there something between them? Asami knew her own feelings, but what about Korra's? Were the lingering touches, prolonged gazes, out of the way favors all simply acts of friendship? Coincidences? Nothing had been quite enough to tip the scales until tonight.

_Just the two of us._

Those magic words had given Asami the confirmation she needed, and she was certain beyond a doubt when Korra's hand reached for her at the same moment she reached for Korra. This was real. It was real and it was wonderful and not quite like any relationship Asami had ever known. She didn't think to categorize it, didn't worry about what each step would be or what she might do wrong. This was Korra. She had left, and Asami had let her go, but she had come back stronger, wiser, and more resilient than ever. She had come back to her duties, to Republic City, to her friends, and she had come back to Asami.

Korra was ready, now. It had taken the separation for her to realize what had grown between them, and she could only be thankful that this was so important to Asami that she had waited. That _she_ was worth the wait.

She craned her neck to brush her lips against Asami's again, holding onto these first moments. They kissed each other breathless, gentle but heartfelt and unrestrained, neither willing to let go until they needed to breathe.

"Thank you," Korra finally said, her voice barely more than a whisper over the soft hum of the portal. "For waiting. I know it was a long time..."

Asami nodded, stroking Korra's cheek with the backs of her curled fingers.

"I'm just happy you're okay." Both in the wake of the battle and in the grand scheme of Korra's life. She knew that Korra wasn't out of the woods; _neither_ of them were, really, but everything was looking up. "And you're worth any wait," she said honestly, eyes still comfortably locked with Korra's. Asami wouldn't hold her words back, now that she didn't have to. It was well worth it, watching Korra's smile widen in reaction.

"You're blushing," Asami said with a little giggle, tapping her finger playfully against Korra's nose. Things were different now, but they were still best friends. There was no need to become shy with one another.

"I know, I know... I..." Korra let out a little laugh of her own. "I felt the same way about you, I just... never really knew how to say it." Her eyes darted down, but Asami kept watching, quiet and patient like she always was. "Or, I don't think I even realized until you weren't there anymore, for those three years. But then it was never the right time, and... I was going to tell you at the wedding, actually." That made Asami's smile soften.

"Why do you think I made up that story about Varrick jumping off the tower?" That made Korra's gaze dart back up.

"Wait, you made that up?"

"It bought me some time, didn't it?" 

They were both laughing, now.

"Sato, you sneak..." Korra playfully bumped her nose against Asami's and waited for the giggles to settle. "I was trying to figure out a way to say it on the steps, but... Then you brought up needing a vacation, and..."

Asami watched silently, eyes still lost in Korra's as she listened. Their foreheads rested on each other, the contact just as affectionate as the kisses they had just shared. Neither of them had had anything like this... _ever,_ if they were fully honest with themselves.

"And I figured that going on a vacation alone would be the perfect way to tell you." Or, in the case of what had actually happened, show her. Korra hesitated another moment, carefully choosing her next words. "I... kind of had a feeling for a while. Especially when I was away, that you might have... you know... saw me as a little more than a friend."

"Just a little?" Asami asked with a hint of teasing.

"Well, I didn't want to assume anything and screw it up..."

Asami playfully nudged against Korra's face again.

"I promise you aren't going to screw it up." At least not from Asami's perspective. She knew Korra, all of her quirks and strengths and flaws... and she loved her for every one of them.

"Thanks. That means a lot." How did Asami always know what to say, Korra wondered? "You ready to get going?" She finally looked to the field of violets stretched before them. Asami nodded.

"Any plans for the grand tour?"

"Hmm..." Korra rested her head casually on Asami's shoulder as she looked out to the possible paths before them, frowning lightly in thought. "Well, the first thing you have to know is that everything here can react to your emotions. Mostly mine, because I'm the Avatar, but you never know what could happen. Things can get pretty dangerous." Asami wasn't the type to try anything brash, though, so Korra wasn't worried.

"I think I'd rather risk whatever the Spirit World has to throw at me than deal with whatever new disaster Raiko is going to have on my desk in the next few hours," Asami commented with a stifled yawn. It had been a long night. Varrick and Zhu Li's reception had run well into the night, and then there had been changing and impromptu packing before Korra and Asami could make it to the portal. Was it a fast decision? Yes, but not an impulsive one. 

"Good point..." Korra idly wondered if Asami would pursue another contract to rebuild the city, but that wasn't a question for right now. Work topics were _strictly_ off limits from now until they re-entered the physical world, Korra had decided. "How about we find a place to settle for the night? Er... Morning?" Korra had no idea what time it was, but it was certainly well past midnight. She finally drew away from Asami to start walking, keeping the other woman's hand in hers.

"Sleep sounds amazing right now," Asami admitted as she followed Korra. Thrilled as she was to be seeing the Spirit World, she wanted to be well rested for it.

"I know a great place. Hold on tight-" She gave Asami's hand a squeeze, "-and don't let go."

Once Asami nodded, Korra turned to face the horizon, and the world began to fly past them without so much as a breeze through Asami's hair. She stared in awe, fingers clinched around Korra's as brilliant colors and shapes blurred past them until her eyes landed on Korra's back, again. This must have been an Avatar thing. Suddenly, a great tree Asami remembered seeing only in the distance towered over them, and the two stopped without as much as an unbalanced wobble. Korra turned to face Asami with a carefree smile. Just a little innocent showing off- it earned another fond grin from Asami, which was exactly what Korra had been looking for.

"Is this bed?" Asami finally asked, craning her neck to look at the enormous, oddly shaped branches of the tree before them. Its enormous leaves shimmered gold and green in the faint simulated nighttime light, and tiny spirits could be seen flitting between the branches.

"Mhm! The branches are definitely big enough to sleep on, even higher up. And I bet the view is _amazing._ " Korra was already on her way up, airlifting herself onto the lowest branch and reaching for Asami's hand. It briefly crossed her mind that she could just _carry_ her up, but it would be nicer to climb together.

"You're not worried about falling out?" Asami asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as she took Korra's hand and pulled herself up.

"Nah. We could probably _spar_ up there if we wanted to." 

They climbed higher and higher until the golden leaves faded to clear blue. Korra was right. Even in the tree's sheltered canopy, there was more than enough room to stretch out and relax. Korra set down her bag and walked over to a cluster of leaves. Asami spoke after her,

"Oh, and I'm going to need at _least_ three feet of plush under my back if I'm going to get any decent sleep." A playful lie, obviously, but Asami was in a funny mood.

"How's a leaf sound?" Korra countered with a flirtatious smirk of her own, plucking a few from their branches and laying them out as makeshift bedding.

"I _guess_ I can make that work." Asami set down her bag beside Korra's and flattened the small pile of leaves. She'd slept in less comfortable places, and she was starting to realize that she was tired enough to fall asleep just about anywhere.

And maybe Korra would be up for cuddling before they slept. Just the thought brought a silly little smile to Asami's lips.

She was snapped out of her momentary trance by the sudden movement of Korra launching into the air out of the corner of her eye. Asami looked up just in time to watch her float harmlessly to back to the branch by using one of the leaves as a sail. Asami laughed, lightly shaking her head.

" _And_ we could totally use these to get down in the morning!"

"I don't know if I want to start my vacation off with a broken leg."

"Hey, I could carry you no problem!" Korra set the leaf down with the rest of the bedding. With a cocky grin, she flexed her arm and patted her bicep. "One hundred percent back in action, now. One additional Sato won't be anything I can't handle."

Asami couldn't help a evocative little smile at Korra's continued showing off. It made her heart swell, seeing her like her old self again. Grown, obviously, but so very much _Korra._ And knowing that the showing off was for _her..._ She leaned down to press a quick kiss against the corner of Korra's lips.

"I'd never doubt it for a second." A blush cracked Korra's blustering facade. Asami kissing her all the time was going to take a little longer to get used to. "You ready to turn in, soon?"

"Yeah," Korra nodded as she toed off her boots. She paused for a moment, looking up at Asami, expression open and unguarded. "This vacation is exactly what I needed. I think we both deserve a break." A perfect response to all the troubles both of them had been put through recently. Asami smiled as she watched Korra settle, and started removing her own shoes. The two women settled side by side, casually brushing against one another where they lay face to face. Their bags at least made passable pillows. Korra spoke up again, her voice lowered now that they were close and settled in.

"I know it took us a lot to get here, but..." She looked up at Asami's eyes, still soft and warm and attentive as always. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, right now." She reached for Asami's shoulder, her hand resting on the sturdy canvas of her jacket. "Or _with_ anyone else." 

"You're okay with this, then? With us?"

It had been an unspoken presence between them for some time, now, but there had always been that dash of uncertainty. They had been so well tuned to each other for so long, but it was best to be absolutely sure, to lay it out plainly and eliminate any chance of misunderstanding. Korra propped herself up on her elbow and leaned to press a kiss on the corner of Asami's mouth, similar to the one Asami had given her a moment ago.

"That answer your question?" _Please say no so that I can do it again._

"I don't know... Are you going to actually _let_ me see the Spirit World? Or are you just going to keep me all to yourself?" Asami's smile was open and carefree. This still felt like a dream, too wild and good to possibly be true. She reached out to Korra in response to her own thoughts, brushing her fingers gently through her hair. 

"I don't see why we can't have both," Korra responded playfully, her own grin mirroring Asami's as she cocked an eyebrow. "Because I was planning on both, if that's okay with you."

Asami shifted closer, still smiling as he hand moved to cradle the back of Korra's head.

"I think I can squeeze it into the schedule."

This time, Korra moved before Asami did. Her lips sank into Asami's, soft and relaxed. It was a slow and savory kiss, drawn out and exploratory now that the jitters of their first kiss had passed. Korra's thumb stroked the line of Asmai's jaw, and Asami sighed into Korra's mouth, physically clinging to this moment. It was so tender and sweet, so opposite the hardships that had brought them together. Maybe that was a sappy way to think about it, but Asami would never deny being a romantic. Her arm wrapped around the Avatar's broad back as she pressed warmly against her and renewed the kiss. She didn't have to think about what she was doing. She only had to act on what felt the most right.

And it was all even sweeter, after so many charged moments of carefully selected actions and touches and words.

Korra caught a deep breath when they first broke to breathe, her fingers trailing over Asami's cheek, down the soft line of her neck. Asami's earlier reassurances made it easier not to worry about taking a wrong step, but Korra still took this slowly. Everything was so natural between them. What if she pushed forward too much and that was lost?

But the intimacy of this... Asami's breath mingling with hers, their bangs tickling each others' cheeks, their holds on one another so snug but gentle, the mutual understanding of just how strong their feelings were... They were only kissing and holding onto one another, and it already felt like this was the most intimate encounter Korra could remember. There were no pretences, no baggage between them. It was just a raw sharing of emotion that began to escalate on its own with heavy touches and deeper kisses.

Korra had known that she wanted more than holding and kissing, pleasing as it was, but she hadn't known exactly how _badly_ until now. She caught Asami's lower lip between hers, sucking gently before drawing away from the kiss completely.

"We keep going like that, we _will_ end up spending all of our time on each other." She felt warm all over, and that uplifting sensation had returned to her chest. There was a bit of sheepishness in her grin as she regarded Asami, who was also quietly catching her breath.

"Sorry." She glanced down between them, a touch embarrassed by how quickly she'd gotten lost in kissing Korra. Breaths came fluttery and excited, and putting coherent thoughts together was proving a bit difficult. It had only been Korra's voice that pulled her out of the fog. "It's never been quite like this, for me." Her bare fingers played on Korra's shoulder, tracing up to her cheek as she looked back up to meet her eyes.

A confession played on the tip of Asami's tongue, but she bit it back for now.

"You're so amazing. _And_ a wonderful kisser," she teased lightly, her hand coming up to cup Korra's cheek. She was so soft and sweet, this all-powerful warrior.

"I was worried I might be a little out of practice," Korra admitted with a quirk of her eyebrows.

"No more out of practice than I am." They shared another small, wistful laugh before Korra spoke again, her voice still low. 

"You're pretty amazing yourself, you know." Her smile twitched as Asmai's fingers lightly tickled her cheek. Korra's eyes softened, a hint of sadness behind them. "I just wish it hadn't taken so long..."

Asami shook her head, gently hushing her.

"I promise it's okay, Korra. Really."

"To me it isn't. Not yet, anyway." She wasn't apologizing so much anymore as she was just... sad. Sad that things had to play out like this, that it had taken them being apart for her to even _realize._

But then, Asami had waited for her. This had really meant so much to her that she had waited, that they had been able to pick up right as they had left off once Korra returned, and that she had said _yes_ when Korra let her know that she was ready... Korra had had a long time to reflect on just how many times Asami had _been_ there when she hadn't needed to be. Maybe some of it was born from loneliness. Korra had never heard her talk about any friends outside of Team Avatar, or any family beyond her father. She stayed with them out of necessity, but at the same time, Korra knew that there was more to it than that. She cracked a grin, thinking back to the first time they had actually spent time together. Korra hadn't exactly been polite to her until that day at the track, but Asami was always so eager to spend time with her regardless. 

She saw something between them before Korra was even willing to give her the time of day. Maybe not _romance,_ but... something.

"What are you grinning about?" Asami asked, brushing her fingers against Korra's lips and pulling her back to the present.

"When did you start liking me?"

"Hm?" Asami raised her eyebrows.

"When did you start having a crush on me?"

Asami hesitated, a little flustered.

"I... don't really know. Looking back, I mean..." Her eyes darted down, a bit embarrassed. "I always liked you, but I don't really know when I started _liking_ liking you. Maybe I always did, in a way..." She trailed off. What was that about hindsight being 20/20? Asami gave a little laugh at herself, still looking slightly away. "I was at least _aware_ of it by the time Harmonic Convergence ended. But I didn't think you returned any of it, so I never said anything. And I just wanted to see if we could be better friends, first." She met Korra's eyes again with a smile. "But maybe I flirted a little. Just a little." Korra laughed. Her eyes were growing too heavy to keep open, but that didn't mean she couldn't make another joke-

"Want me to... take you for a spin?" Korra said suggestively as she took a hand off Asami only so that she could mockingly toss her hair with a waggle of her eyebrows. It was worth it for the high flush and indignant smile that appeared on Asami's face.

"I never said it like _that!_ "

"Oh you _so_ did." Korra laughed, and Asami quickly followed.

"Well clearly I never laid it on thick enough, so don't make fun of _me!_ " They settled down again, and Asami yawned, hesitating a moment before leaning closer to Korra's ear. "You can take me for a spin when we're both not half asleep," she whispered before backing away just enough to meet Korra's gaze, her eyelids lowered suggestively. Korra's reaction was worth seeing- eyes widening as she took in what Asami had just said, and an almost manic smile following a moment after. Asami chuckled and gave Korra another little kiss before settling against her, her head tucked against the slope of her neck and shoulder. Korra blinked, staring down at Asami.

"Wait you can't expect me to just fall asleep after you said that."

"Good night, Korra." There was a note of amusement in Asami's voice as she spoke against Korra's neck.

"That is..." Korra's objection was interrupted by a yawn. "That is _not_ fair. Now I'm thinking about things, and..."

"As if you haven't before." Still that hint of a laugh.

"...Okay, fine, but still!"

"Mmm..." Asami nuzzled Korra's neck, and Korra gave up her facetious objections. She _was_ tired, even she had to admit that. She adjusted so they could both be more comfortable, her arms curling protectively around Asami.

"Night, Korra," she repeated, this time more sincere.

"Night, Asami." Korra's fingers absently ran through Asami's hair as she kissed the top of her head good night.

In spite of Korra's objections, it wasn't along before they were both fast asleep.


End file.
